Never Know What to Expect

[BSRU]

On my short journey home for lunch today I noticed some plonker had parked their car right on the corner of a junction with a main road. As if this was not inconsiderate enough as I cycled past I noticed they had left a baby asleep in a baby car seat in the front passenger seat. I can only assume they had nipped to the shop nearby but I was under the impression you cannot just leave you child in a car on a public road.

It is not something I would ever do but is it morally wrong or even illegal?

 

[benb]

It's morally wrong, but I doubt whether it's illegal.

 

[BSRU]

It's morally wrong, but I doubt whether it's illegal.

Apparently it is illegal, classed as child neglect, several news reports on the web of people being prosecuted, even just leaving for two minutes.<br><br>On second look it maybe just in the US they actually prosecute for it.<br>

 

[ianrauk]

FFS that is disgraceful behaviour.

I don't think any parent in their right mind would leave a baby alone for any amount of time. Whatever the situation.

 

[BSRU]

From the Times Online:-
With respect to leaving a child alone in a car:
"It is an offence under section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 to neglect or abandon a child under the age of 16 for whom a parent or carer has responsibility, but the law gives no detail of what amounts to neglect or abandonment. Prosecution and/or conviction depend largely on the circumstances. The punishment can range from a fine to ten years’ imprisonment."

Take into account the car was illegally and dangerously parked on the corner of junction, hidden until the last moment from cars on the main road turning left into that junction.

 

[Ste T.]

Many car electrical fires occur in the minutes after the engine is turned off and the owner walks away.

 

[jonny jeez]

I was always to scared to leave the kids in the car (As babies) even on petrol forecourts, let alone in the road (parked in a maniac position just waiting for someone to hit the back of the car).

Stupidly, this person probably thought it safer as they could See their kid....pffft

 

[semislickstick]

Also haven't there been a few cases where cars were stolen (at least one was a petrol forecourt) with the baby still in.
You'd be distort!

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

FFS that is disgraceful behaviour.

I don't think any parent in their right mind would leave a baby alone for any amount of time. Whatever the situation.

+1... however, having said that we've left our kids in the car when they've been asleep... but in my defence the car was parked on the drive right outside the lounge window, from which we could see the car, and hear if they awoke. Better than moving them when they've just gone off to sleep as they both get grumpy without the right amount of sleep!

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

As a slight aside I'd say it was illegal too, from the point of view of parking within a certain distance of a junction (15m springs to mind).

 

[summerdays]

I knew a mum who used to leave her toddler in the car whilst she ran the elder sibling into school. One day we were standing inside the school gate when the toddler wandered up to us... he had undone his seat belt/or climbed out of it, got out of the car, crossed the road and wandered down to the school. I think that was the last time she left him until he was considerably older.

 

[ianrauk]

+1... however, having said that we've left our kids in the car when they've been asleep... but in my defence the car was parked on the drive right outside the lounge window, from which we could see the car, and hear if they awoke. Better than moving them when they've just gone off to sleep as they both get grumpy without the right amount of sleep!

Yep, that's fair enough.
But left out of sight on a road, that is simply not on.

 

[campbellab]

I knew a mum who used to leave her toddler in the car whilst she ran the elder sibling into school. One day we were standing inside the school gate when the toddler wandered up to us... he had undone his seat belt/or climbed out of it, got out of the car, crossed the road and wandered down to the school. I think that was the last time she left him until he was considerably older.

In my day you could always set the rear doors to only open from the outside, have they stopped doing this? It's too cold to go out and check my car

 

[BSRU]

In my day you could always set the rear doors to only open from the outside, have they stopped doing this? It's too cold to go out and check my car

You can still do that on modern cars only you can only child lock the rear doors, so the fronts can still be opened from the inside.

 

[DrSquirrel]

On my short journey home for lunch today I noticed some plonker had parked their car right on the corner of a junction with a main road. As if this was not inconsiderate enough as I cycled past I noticed they had left a baby asleep in a baby car seat in the front passenger seat. I can only assume they had nipped to the shop nearby but I was under the impression you cannot just leave you child in a car on a public road.

It is not something I would ever do but is it morally wrong or even illegal?

One day I was in a shop and there was a girl (my age, went to school together, I was around 21 at the time) in the queue behind me. A little kid around 2-3yo came running into the shop to her and the girls response was "get back in the car with your sister". So I thought, that isn't so bad with an older sister (not uncommon for 21yo's to have 2 or 3 kids by then). When I went out It was actually a baby of a few months left in the car right outside the shop...


Maybe you should call the Police and let them decide?